A new website has been created for The Dictionary of Welsh Biography. It will be launched at the beginning of November 2018 and will include new content, functions and design. Head over to biography.wales now to see what's new!

This website will eventually be replaced by biography.wales. In the meantime, we would like to hear from our users so you're welcome to send us any questions or feedback that you may have.

BLAYNEY
family, of
Gregynog, Mont.

The family claimed descent from
Brochwel Ysgythrog
. The first member of the family about whom there is definite information is
EVAN
BLAYNEY
, whose name appears eighteenth in the roll of
burgesses
found in the charter of
Welshpool
,
7 June, 7 Henry IV (1406)
, where he is described as ‘of
Tregynon
.’

His son,
GRIFFITH AP
EVAN
BLAYNEY
, is mentioned by the
poetLewis Glyn Cothi
. The
Gregynog
line of the family was continued by
Griffith
's son
EVAN
LLOYD
ap GRIFFITH
and
by his grandson
THOMAS AP
EVAN
LLOYD
whose son,
DAVID
LLOYD
BLAYNEY
, was
sheriff
of
Montgomeryshire
in
1577
and
1585
.

David LloydBlayney
's wife was
Elizabeth
, daughter of
LewisJones
of
Bishop's Castle
, and their eldest son,
LEWIS
BLAYNEY
, was
deputy-sheriff
to his father in
1577
and
1585
.

LewisBlayney
m.
Bridget
, daughter of
JohnPrice
of
Newtown
, and their son,
JOHN
BLAYNEY
, was entered a
barrister
of the
Inner Temple
in
1609
and was
sheriff
in
1630
and
1643
. In
8 Charles I
he was
chief steward
of the lordships of
Kerry
,
Cydewain
,
Halcetor
, and
Montgomery
. In
1666
he was one of those deemed qualified to be made
Knights of the Royal Oak
, an order intended by
Charles
II
as a reward to his followers. He m.
Elizabeth
, daughter of
JenkinLloyd
of
Berth-lwyd
,
Llanidloes
.

Their daughter and heiress,
JOYCE
, m. her second cousin,
SirArthurBlayney
, who belonged to the
Irish
branch of the family. His father was the
1st lord Blayney
who, in turn, was the third son of
David LloydBlayney
(
sheriff1577
,
v. supra
).

EDWARD
, the
1st LORD
BLAYNEY
, was a
soldier
from his youth, and in
1598
he accompanied the
earl of Essex
to
Ireland
. He distinguished himself in the fighting in
Ireland
, and in
1603
he was
knighted
and, in
1621
, elevated to the
peerage of Ireland
as
lord Blayney
,
baron of Monaghan
,
co. Monaghan
.

His second son,
ARTHUR
(the husband of
JoyceBlayney
), was
knighted
for bravery in the
battle of Beaumaris
. He was
sheriff
of
Montgomeryshire
in
1644
. During the
Civil War
he assisted
SirWilliamOwen
of
Brogyntyn
in the defence of
Harlech Castle
for the
king
, and was one of the
Commissioners
appointed by him to sign the articles of surrender in
March 1647
. He d. in
1659
.

Arthur
's third son,
HENRY
, was the father of
JOHN
BLAYNEY
, who was
sheriff
in
1716
.
JohnBlayney
m.
Anne
, daughter of
ArthurWeaver
of
Morville
,
Salop
, the
sheriff
of
Montgomeryshire
in
1667
. Their youngest son and eventual heir,
ArthurBlayney
(
v. infra
), was the last of the
Blayneys
of
Gregynog
, though the
Irish
line — the
Blayneys
of
Blayney Castle
— continued for some years.

The
Blayney estates
in
Montgomeryshire
and
Salop
passed to the
Hon.HenryTracy
, who became the
8th viscount Tracy
and whose wife was
SusannaWeaver
, a second cousin of
ArthurBlayney
[see note at end of article
‘
Hanbury
,
John
’
].

BLAYNEY
,
ARTHUR
(
1716
-
1795
),

the last of the
Blayneys
of
Gregynog
. Born
11 Feb. 1716
, was the youngest of the eight children of
JohnBlayney
and
AnneWeaver
his wife. As a result of the death of his elder brother he succeeded to the family estates. In
1764
he served the office of
sheriff
. He was noteworthy as a fine example of a
country gentleman
. He was a good
landlord
and concerned himself with the welfare of his tenants, often assisting them by buying their produce. He
gave land for the building of good roads
, and
encouraged the planting of trees
. He d.
1 Oct. 1795
and was buried at
Tregynon
on
6 Oct
.